Metatropolis thrilled us with its near-future shared world and its daring take on urban decay and reinvention. So we're psyched that a second volume is coming out — focusing exclusively on one of the most memorable settings in the first book, the reborn Pacific Northwest known as Cascadia. Edited by Jay Lake, whose "In The Forests Of The Night" brought Cascadia to life, the new volume will once again be written for audio-book and released by Audible.com. Here's the blurb:

As the mid-21st Century approaches, the Pacific Northwest has been transformed - politically, economically, and ecologically - into the new reality of Cascadia. Conspiracies and secrets threaten the tenuous threads of society. The End of Days seems nearer than ever. And the legend of the mysterious Tygre Tygre looms large.

The list of contributors, including three Portland dwellers, is also quite promising:

THE BULL DANCERS by Jay Lake
WATER TO WINE by Mary Robinette Kowal
BYWAYS by Tobias S. Buckell
CONFESSOR by Elizabeth Bear
DEODAND by Karl Schroeder
A SYMMETRY OF SERPENTS AND DOVES by Ken Scholes

Metatropolis: Cascadia is out November 16 from Audible, and here's hoping we get another nice book version afterwards. [Mary Robinette Kowal]